I had the occasion to dine at Luby's for lunch recently (30 minutes ago) and am here to report they have improved immensely since my last visit in October '05.
I arrived at the Austin #4 location at 1:30 as the line to select food had dwindled, but the line to pay was quite long. No matter, by the time I am leaving, that line will be down to nothing. And you know what, it was!!
My first offering was a cole slaw salad with a honey cilantro vinegarette coating. The slaw was mealy and the dressing bland. Much blander than it ever should have been, in fact.
Next up, was a Lemon Basil Tilapia, Green Bean Caserole and Sauteed Vegetables with a dinner roll with a glass of iced tea.
The Tilapia was tender and moist with hints of lemon and basil. The Green Bean Caserole was hearty and the portion was enormous. I barely finished that side. The chef's at Ruby's have outdone themselves on this one. The combination of cooked grean beans, mushroom soup and fried onions must be tasted to believe.
Last up was the Sauteed Vegetables and dinner roll. The dinner roll was fresh and moist and was a perfect complement to the beans and vegetables. The vegetables themselves were ideally sauteed (not to rubbery, not too crisp) and the Spanish Chalooza oil they were marinated in combined for a heavenly taste sensation. I will be ordering these next time I go.
All in all, if you are looking for an unpretentious venue with hearty, reasonably priced food, you could do worse than Luby's!
